Marlins 4, Cubs 3

Jack McCarthy, The Sports Xchange

The SportsXchangeSeptember 2, 2013

CHICAGO -- Right-hander Henderson Alvarez survived a rocky first inning and helped his cause with a three-run home run in the second to lead the Miami Marlins to a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Monday afternoon. Alvarez (3-3) worked six full innings in his 11th start of the season before departing with a tight hamstring in the opener of a three-game series at Wrigley Field. The Marlins trailed 3-1 in the second inning when Alvarez put Miami ahead with his first Major League home run, a first-pitch shot off Cubs left-hander Travis Wood. Wood (8-11) pitched through the seventh inning. He gave up four earned runs on nine hits, walked two and struck out three. Miami took a 1-0 lead in the first when Christian Yelich launched Wood's 3-2 pitch to the right field bleachers for his third home run of the season. The Cubs replied with four straight singles and a Nate Schierholtz sacrifice fly to open a 3-1 lead on Alvarez. Anthony Rizzo and Dioner Navarro also collected RBIs with their hits. Alvarez erased the Cubs' lead with his homer, scoring Ed Lucas and Jeff Mathis for a 4-3 lead. After a combined seven runs scored in the first 1 1/2 innings, the game settled into a run of scoreless frames. In the fourth, the Cubs had Ryan Sweeney at second and Junior Lake at first with none out, but Darwin Barney grounded into a double play and Wood flew out to center. Miami threatened in the seventh with runners at first and second with one out, but Wood stuck out Giancarlo Stanton and got Justin Ruggiano to pop to short left to escape the inning. Alvarez took the mound for the seventh inning, then abruptly left with a tight right hamstring before throwing a pitch. He worked six full innings, allowing three earned runs on seven hits while walking one and striking out three. Left-hander Mike Dunn entered in relief and worked 1 1/3 inning. Chad Qualls got the call in the eighth with one out and a runner on first, and he got the next two batters out. Marlins right-hander Steve Cishek faced three batters in a scoreless ninth for his 29th save. NOTES: The Cubs could make more personnel moves on Tuesday following the conclusion of their Iowa Triple-A affiliate's season. On Sunday, they activated RHP Alberto Cabrera from Iowa and Sweeney and IF Luis Valbuena from the disabled list. ... Two Cubs minor league teams open post-season play Tuesday. Class A Daytona hosts Dunedin (Fla.) in a Florida State League match, while Class A Boise meets Salem-Keizer in a Northwest League South divisional series. ... Monday's game was the first between the Marlins and Cubs since April, when Chicago took three of four at Marlins Park. ... A stiff northeasterly wind robbed Ruggiano of his 17th home run in the first inning, keeping his drive inside the park as the ball bounced off the left field wall for a double. ... Miami 3B Placido Polanco had a quiet afternoon, going 0-for-4 one day after a 3-for-4 effort in Atlanta for the 600th multi-hit game of his career. He's ranked 12th among active players in that category.